Marina >> Kurt Schake has always had a desire to take flight and soar to great heights. The executive director of the Veterans Transition Center in Marina has managed to dovetail that lifelong endeavor into his favorite pastime, while integrating it into his philosophy at work – to help people achieve new heights in life.

The retired Air Force colonel, 56, grew up loving planes. Schake’s father was a United States Air Force pilot, served in the Air Force Reserve and ultimately became an airline pilot.

“When I was a kid, I built WWII fighter airplane models,” said Schake. “I’ve always had a love of planes.”

When an opening for the executive director’s position with the VTC presented itself in 2016, Schake flew into action.

“The opportunity combined everything I was looking for,” he said.

The need to serve veterans, the community, and fulfill the family preference to live and work in the area – “Monterey was number one on the list,” was all the motivation he required.

Schake would nab the executive director’s position vacated by his predecessor Terry Bare who left the post in 2016.

‘Straight up answers’ impressed

Dr. Thomas Griffin founded the VTC in 1998 and is chair of its board. He said he was convinced to hire Schake based on “his straight up answers to the questions we asked. He didn’t beat around the bush or try to snow us. He was right on target.”

Griffin said his executive director beat out about 45 candidates in the national search to fill the position.

“We had high level folks from all over the U.S.,” said Griffin.

But the VTC chair said Schake’s sincerity of commitment to veterans as well as his integrity stood head and shoulders above the rest.

“I think we scored a real winner in Kurt. He’s quite smart and compassionate,” said Griffin. “I was looking for someone with the same burn as myself” for helping veterans.

Giffin added he was “delighted and lucky to have Kurt here, and Jack Murphy, the two are a great team.”

“Kurt has a great way with people,” said Murphy, VTC deputy executive director. “He’s willing to trust and invest in people.”

Schake said being in the military, he is drawn to the military community. He has worked at nonprofits before, volunteered, taught and has been a veterans advocate for many years.

“It’s a team effort to support those who served us by serving them in return,” said Schake.

Military experience good preparation

His experience in the military has helped prepare him for the role of leading the Veterans Transition Center in Marina to loftier goals, including being Dean of the U.S. Air War College for a year, supervising 340 students from 52 countries, along with a staff of 85 from 11 different government agencies, and a $2 million budget.

Schake has also been dean of NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany, president of multiple vocational training schools in California, and a squadron commander with the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Schake has been in his new position for seven months, works with an annual budget of about $2 million, and oversees a staff of 15 with an eye toward increasing it to 20 as the transitional housing program of the VTC expands.

The nonprofit provides veterans with access to 24-month transitional housing currently covering 58 veterans including 44 single men, 10 single women and four families.

Earlier this year, the VTC opened 16 newly renovated permanent housing units for low- and extremely low-income veterans. Another 20 units will be renovated with a goal of having them open by the end of this year.

The future of the VTC

Schake said there are also plans on the horizon for a $5.9 million, 74-unit permanent apartment/condominium project, called Lightfighter Village in the Hayes Village area not far from VTC headquarters.

“My greatest accomplishment is helping veterans define the issues that affect them, get them to articulate what they need, and help them help themselves,” said Schake. “It happens on a daily basis.”

Murphy said Schake has been working to establish trust with the board of directors, develop longer-vision strategies for the organization, build and strengthen relationships with outside organizations, and develop strategic fundraising methods.

“He’s got all the things that make military officers great,” said Murphy. “He’s trusting and charismatic, what you would want in a boss, and he’s got a proven track record.”

The Veterans Transition Center was recently chosen as the 29th Assembly District’s 2017 Nonprofit of the Year by the California Association of Nonprofits.

It was recognized for its long-standing support of the community, enhancing the quality of life for its residents by providing services for homeless veterans and their families including transitional housing, and case management programs that empower them in their journeys to become employable, productive members of the community again, according to the official resolution.

Since opening its doors 19 years ago, the VTC has provided assistance to more than 15,000 veterans in crisis, and since 2005, the nonprofit has provided services to 24 veterans from prison with no recidivism, compared to the state average of 66 percent.

The program has become a model for other agencies across the country, most notably the VTC’s three-day, biennial Stand Down which provides supplies and services, such as food, shelter, clothing, health care – physical and mental, benefits referrals, and other services to homeless veterans.

“They want to know how we do, what we do,” said Schake.

According to the executive director, the last Stand Down covered 450 vets, and is a credit to Tom Griffin, VTC board chair, whose goal it is to serve 600 vets in the next event.

Schake said his goal is to deliver excellence in whatever the organization does with the help of the staff, board and volunteers, providing a platform for homeless veterans and their families, while they get back on their feet and attain new levels of success.

The road to Monterey

With a dad in the military, the Schake family moved around quite a bit, but settled in Sonoma where the elder Schakes still reside in the same home where their son was raised.

Sonoma is where Schake would meet his future wife, Heidi. “I met Heidi in junior high guitar. It was not my musical skills,” he said.

The two would go on to have four boys, the youngest, 16, still living at home and going to school.

The eldest followed in his father’s footsteps, joined the Air Force, is stationed in England and flies CV-22 Osprey aircraft.

The other two sons live in Washington and Arcata.

Schake’s father-in-law was at Fort Ord in 1945, fell in love with the Monterey Peninsula and would bring his family back to visit many times over the years.

Schake’s in-laws are both now deceased.

“Heidi and I live in Carmel Valley,” said Schake. “Carmel Valley today reminds us of Sonoma Valley in the ‘70s – beautiful, foggy at night, warm during the day, wineries coming, and tourists just discovering it.”

But being a pilot is all Schake wanted to be since he was a child. When he got older, he joined the Air Force, flew F-15C fighter jets and a multitude of other airplanes, logging more than 3,000 flying hours.

Today the VTC executive director is a flight instructor with the Monterey Navy Flight Club and pilots his way throughout California especially enjoying taking in the Big Sur coastline and the patchwork ag fields of the Salinas Valley.

James Herrera has been with The Herald for nearly three decades, during which he has been an ad designer, staff artist, newsroom graphic artist, videographer and now a reporter. He covers business and the cities of Marina, Seaside, Sand City and Del Rey Oaks.